The 15th International Mevlana Poetry Festival, organized by Karatay Municipality and the Konya Branch of the Turkish Writers’ Union (TYB) with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was held at the Rose Garden of the Mevlana Dervish Lodge.
Emphasizing that municipal services are not limited to physical infrastructure, Karatay Mayor Hasan Kılca said that touching people’s hearts, providing books for children, opportunities for young people and a sense of loyalty and care for the elderly are also important aspects of serving a city. Kılca noted that initiatives in culture, art and literature, as well as projects aimed at young people, are part of this approach, adding that the Poetry Festival reflects the same understanding.
Now a traditional event in Karatay, the International Mevlana Poetry Festival brought poets and writers from different parts of the world together in Konya for its 15th edition. The program began with a Gulbank prayer, after which poets from different regions recited their poems at the Mevlana Dervish Lodge. Following the program at the Mevlana Museum, the 15th International Mevlana Poetry Festival continued at the Rose Garden of the Mevlana Dervish Lodge. The poets shared their own works with art lovers in the spiritual atmosphere of Mevlana.
As poets performed their works at the festival, distinguished pieces of Sufi music were also presented to the audience. Bringing poets and writers from different countries together in Konya, the festival combined the universal language of poetry with Mevlana’s spiritual heritage. The 15th International Mevlana Poetry Festival offered art lovers in Konya an unforgettable evening.
The event at the Rose Garden of the Mevlana Dervish Lodge was attended by Karatay Mayor Hasan Kılca; Turkish Writers’ Union President Prof. Dr. Muhammet Enes Kala; Turkish Writers’ Union Honorary President and Rector of Ankara Social Sciences University Prof. Dr. Musa Kazım Arıcan; President of the Konya Branch of the Turkish Writers’ Union Ahmet Köseoğlu; Konya Regional Director of Foundations Yılmaz Kılınç; Konya Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Fikret Fidan; Karaman Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Murat Pekergin; MHP Karatay District Chairman Oral Bakırel; as well as poets, writers and poetry enthusiasts.
